More than 30 million Americans go camping each year.[1] Camping in the woods presents unique challenges and rewards. Being in the woods leaves you without the amenities you might be accustomed to at home or at a campground. But camping in the woods and being around plants can also be beneficial to your health.[2]

Steps

Part 1

Choosing A Site and Shelter

1

Pick the campsite. The first thing to do is decide where you’re going to camp. Your options include campgrounds and national and state parks. You can choose to go car camping, in which you drive right up to the campsite with all of your gear, or you can choose to hike to a more remote location, in which case you’ll need to carry all of your gear with you.[3] Whichever option you choose, inquire about the amenities at the site.

Are fires allowed?

Are there grills available?

Will you have access to freshwater?

Will you have access to showers and toilets?

Is campground closed for any holidays?

How many people does the site accommodate?

Is the campsite accessible by car? If not, how much hiking will you have to do to get there?

Reserve your campsite. If camping at a campground or a park, you may need to reserve a spot, especially in the summer months. Fees will vary from campsite to campsite and from park to park. Some parks allow free wilderness camping with few to no amenities. In campsites that charge fees, you should expect to pay for the following:

A per day fee for the campsite. This can be as little as a few dollars and as much as $30, depending on the campsite.

A reservation fee.

A per-person fee for larger groups.

Septic or waste disposal fees.

Fees within the same park can also vary depending on the desirability of the location. The more desirable the location, the more expensive the campsite.

3

Pick a shelter. Choose a tent that’s big enough to accommodate the number of people on your trip. Choose the right kind of tent. A 3-season tent will protect campers from bugs, rain, and light snow and should work for camping during the spring, summer, and fall. You’ll need mountaineering tent for winter camping.[5]

Consider using multiple smaller tents, which offer more flexibility in terms of positioning than do larger tents.[6]

Keep only a minimal amount of gear in the tent, which will make more room. Or choose a tent with a vestibule.[7]

4

Pick a bed. A sleeping bag is standard, but you can add to that an air mattress or a sleeping pad for added comfort.[8] Make sure that your sleeping will be warm enough if the temperature drops at night. You might also consider a cot, which gets you off of the ground.

To help stay warm on cold nights, heat up some water, pour it into a heatproof water bottle, and tuck the warm bottle into your sleeping bag.[9]

Combine your tent and your bed. Hammocks are a good option for solo campers or small groups who don’t want to share a tent. That have the benefit of saving space at the campsite and in your pack.If sleeping in a hammock, place a quilt or pad on the bottom and a use another quilt on top.[10]

Part 2

Dressing for Camping Success

1

Pick the right clothes. The clothes you bring will largely depend on the weather you’ll experience at the campsite. You should also plan for unexpected weather and activities by bringing along rain gear and a bathing suit. Whatever the forecast, bring a sun hat and hiking boots.[11]

In warm weather, bring a pair of pants, a shirt, an undershirt, underwear, and socks. You might also include a light jacket, fleece, or sweater for mornings and evenings when the temperature is cooler.

For cold weather camping, you’ll need to add thermal underwear, a wool hat, gloves, a scarf, and a heavy jacket. Aim for at least three layers: a base layer, a mid layer, and an outer layer.[12]

Bear in mind that cold weather will feel colder when you can’t retreat indoors. Dress warmer than you normally would for cold weather.[13]

Bring what you need. Essentials include wood, charcoal, fire starters, newspaper, a fire ring, matches, and a propane stove for cooking.[24]

12-14 split logs provide enough fuel to cook dinner and enjoy a fire afterwards. Bring extra wood just in case. You can gift (or sell) any leftover wood to other campers.[25]

If you want to gather wood when you reach the campsite, make sure this is the first thing you do. Don’t get stuck in the dark without a fire! Once you’ve collected your wood, organize it into piles according to size and type, from tinder to fire logs.[26]

Use rocks around your fire to create a definitive barrier between the fire and everything else.[30]

3

Use firestarters. Prepare multiple fire starting options. You can purchase firestarters, or you can make your own. Keep cotton balls smeared in petroleum jelly in a resealable plastic bag. Also try toilet paper rolls filled with dryer lint or fire starter sticks.[31]

You can also gather tinder once you arrive at the campsite, but make sure to do this right away.

Part 4

Eating at Camp

1

Bring the right food. Choose shelf stable items. You’ll need about 1-2 pounds of food each day for each person. Bring only what you need, plus an extra meal or two just in case.[32]

Try to choose high calorie food that doesn’t weigh too much: cereals, jerky, peanut butter, trail mix, and powdered foods that you mix with water (like mashed potatoes or powdered soup) are all good options.[33]

Limit canned goods. Canned goods are shelf stable, but they also weigh a lot. For this reason, tuna in a pouch, rather than a can, is a good option.[34]

Choose the right equipment. Essentials include a skillet, a pot, utensils, cups, and bowls.[38] If you plan on preparing hot meals, bring a camp stove. Live fire cooking, while romantic, is very difficult to master.[39]

Cast iron cookware is a popular choice for a reason: it’s sturdy, versatile, and easy to clean.[40]

Use a cooler to keep perishable items cold. A block of ice will melt more slowly than cubed ice.[41]

Store all of your plates, bowls, cups, and utensils in one bin, which will help keep things organized.[42]

Prepare your food at home. Safe yourself some time at the campsite and do any cutting, chopping, slicing, and dicing at home.[47]

Portion foods like trail mix into little baggies. This allows you to regulate what you eat and makes the food much easier to store.[48]

Part 5

Staying Hydrated

1

Drink plenty of water. Drink at least 16 ounces of water a day to stay fully hydrated.[49]

2

Store your water wisely. Storage options include gallon and 2-gallon jugs, collapsible water carriers, and Igloo-style water coolers (the kind common at little league baseball games).[50]

If you’re lucky enough to have a campsite next to a cool running stream, you can put bottled drinks into a mesh laundry bag, secure the end of the bag on the shore of the stream, and keep the drinks cool in the running water.[51]

3

Clean your water. For filtration, there are many options: handheld pump filters, gravity flow filters, squeeze filters, and battery-powered ultraviolet sterilizers. Which filtration system you choose will depend on how much water you need to filter and how much storage space you have.[52]

Water treatment drops, the kind used in developing countries, are another option.[53]

Part 6

Protecting Yourself

1

Tell someone about your plans. Make sure that you alert trusted friends and family to both your intended whereabouts and your planned departure and return dates. In the event of an emergency, this will make it much easier to get and the rest of the camping party to safety. You should also supply them with any other relevant information about the trip, including the following:[55]

Directions

Potential alternate routes

Cell phone numbers for the members of your party

Vehicle description and license plate numbers

Hand-held radio channel and codes

Phone numbers for the relevant local authorities (i.e. the State Police, the Game & Fish Commission, the Sheriff’s Dept, etc.)

2

Learn the lay of the land. Talk to park rangers and campers who’ve been to that destination. Study guide books to learn more about the terrain and weather. To avoid getting lost, learn some basic navigation skills like using a map and compass. Encourage the members of your party to pay attention to landmarks.[56]

Plan your hiking time wisely. If hiking with kids, hike during the morning and evening, when it’s cooler. Kids are not yet equipped for dealing with excessive heat.[57]

3

Prepare a first-aid kit. Store-bought first-aid kits are no match the kit you can put together yourself. Bring a first-aid kit that includes the following items:[58][59]

Bandages of all kinds: adhesive, butterfly, roller, and elastic (Band-Aids)

Sterile gauze pads

A hot/cold pack

A cold compress

Splinting materials. You can learn how to make a splint at a first-aid class.

Large wound dressings

Blister dressings (moleskin)

Nonadhesive dressings

Cloth-based adhesive tape

A thermometer

Non-latex gloves

A large plastic bag (for hazardous waste)

Safety pins

Scissors

Tweezers and needles (to remove splinters or ticks)

Topical antibiotic cream (Neosporin)

Oral antihistamine (Benadryl)

Pain relievers (acetaminophen or ibuprofen)

Sunscreen

Sun-burn lotion

Poison-ivy cream/cleanser

Burn cream

Hydrocortisone cream (1%)

Alcohol pads

Hydrogen peroxide

A liquid antiseptic soap to clean wounds

Bug repellant

A bee-sting kit

A snake-bite kit

Any personal medications

Feminine hygiene products

A first-aid book.

4

Dress for tick prevention. Ticks carry Lyme disease, which can cause fever, headache, and fatigue and lead to more serious illness.[60] Wear tall socks. Tuck your pants into your socks and boots. Avoid areas with high grass.[61]

Check for ticks often and remove as soon as you spot. Check the scalp, behind ears, under arms, and in the groin area. A bull's-eye rash can be a sign of Lyme disease.[62]

To remove a tick, use tweezers. Avoid crushing the tick as you do so. Wash your hands and the affected area thoroughly.[63]

Know the rules for bear encounters. Bears do not usually attack humans. If you happen to encounter a bear, the first thing to do is stay calm. Not all bears are alike, however.

If you encounter a black bear, be loud and aggressive to scare it away. Use stick, rocks, and pepper spray to fight back, if necessary. [65]

If you encounter a grizzly bear, avoid sudden movements and eye contact. Do not run away. Walk away slowly, if possible. If the bear charges you, stand you ground and use pepper spray. If the bear attacks you, curl up in the fetal position and play dead. [66]

7

Identify harmful plants. You should know what poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac look like and do your best to avoid these plants. If exposed, wash the infected area and use calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream or take an oral antihistamine to help alleviate the itchy rash.[67]

Part 7

Packing

1

Bring only what you need; leave the rest. Keep in mind the weight of what you’ll carry. How much walking and hiking will you have to do before you arrive at the campsite? Are you going to be able to carry such a heavy load to and from the site?[71] Don’t wait until the last minute to pack or you’re likely to forget something and stress yourself out before you even get to the campsite.[72] Consult one of the many available camping equipmentonline checklists to make sure you’re bringing everything you need. At the very least, you’ll need the following:

Your shelter, including extra stakes

Your sleeping bag and pad, including a pump, if needed

Your fire-building supplies

Your cooking equipment

Your food

Water

Your first-aid kit

Clothes, including rain gear, and bedding

An emergency blanket

Miscellaneous tools, including a multi tool, a flashlight, a hammer, an axe, binoculars, maps, batteries, and a watch.

A solar-powered battery charger like the Guide 10 by Goal Zero to keep your cell phone battery charged in case of emergencies.

2

Choose the right backpack. You will choose the pack based on size, which is itself determined by how long you plan to camp. Packs are measured in liters. Choose a 60-80 liter pack for a 2-5 day excursion.[73]

3

Use compression bags. Compression bags are a great way to save space. Use them to pack your clothes, your bedding, and your pillows.[74]

Part 8

Setting Up Your Campsite

1

Organize your campground according to “zones." Designate one zone for sleeping, one zone for relaxing, one zone for cooking, and one zone for first-aid.[75]

2

Position your tent wisely. Choose level ground, preferably close to water. [76] Stay away from dead trees, which can fall and crush you. Lots of limbs and branches on the ground are a good indication of dead trees.[77]

At campsites accessible by car on campgrounds, watch out for broken, glass, needles, and other hazardous waste.[78]

At more remote campsites, stay away from nests and bushes with berries, which might attract bears.[79]

Use a compass to determine the direction of sunrise and sunset and maximize your enjoyment of the outdoors. Remember that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west.[80]

Bring an old rug, which can make the site more comfortable and help keep dirt out of the tent.[81]

3

Get to know your neighbors. And be neighborly. Don’t be too loud or disorderly and try to avoid loud, disorderly neighbors. A good neighbor can make your camping experience much more enjoyable and can be a welcome resource in an emergency.